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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23150398">Flowers for the decade</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Excaliburstark/pseuds/Excaliburstark'>Excaliburstark</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Flowers, Gen, Historical, Historical References, No Slash, Reincarnation, Short, Temporary Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 10:54:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,044</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23150398</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Excaliburstark/pseuds/Excaliburstark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur keeps getting reincarnated at times when he isn't needed, so he keeps dying soon after. The Fates keep sending Arthur back every era or so and each time there is a different flower that represents them. </p><p>Like many others I'm distracting myself with fic. Hope everyone is well and staying safe ❤️</p><p>Also I hope this makes sense, I'm sincerely sleep deprived. Enjoy! X</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin &amp; Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Flowers for the decade</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>If you squint this could be merthur but that wasn't in my head when I wrote it. The first line does sound romantic but it's more of a really deep friendship/connection type thing. Please feel free to interpret this as you like though. Just in case I've tagged it as both/either</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sometimes a blip in time can last an eternity and that's how it felt with Arthur, Merlin's forever only existed when Arthur was there. The rest was just surviving.</p><p>The flowers were a reminder to be patient for his eternity would come again. He hadn't realised until later but the first time was when Arthur was king.</p><p>Merlin would often marvel at the daisy littered fields, meadows made from carpets of white as the small flowers bloomed.</p><p>Merlin would ride through them on horses, walk by them, hands brushing them as he was dragged on yet another hunting trip, he'd sit with them, plucking them to make daisy chains and Arthur would huff at what a girl he was before tipping torn petals over him.</p><p>When Arthur died at Camlann, the daisies shrivelled. Everyone thought it was the onset of winter but when spring came they didn't return.</p><p>Merlin left soon after.</p><p> </p><p>Arthur returned to him under the reign of Henry VII. He was the king's son. Merlin had heard of a Prince Arthur and he'd rushed to Ludlow Castle. He had hoped, prayed even, and his faith was rewarded.</p><p>He infiltrated the castle as a servant, once again. A role he hadn't played in a long time. He had met Arthur's wife, Princess Catherine but hadn't been able to see Arthur.</p><p>Merlin had been picking Rosemary from the herb garden when Arthur had finally appeared. Merlin had been at the castle for almost a week. Arthur was supremely pale, little beads of sweat dotted his forehead. He looked at Merlin with tired eyes, his pulse visible in his throat and his shirt looked damp. The stench of sickness filled Merlin's nose.</p><p>"My wife suspects you to be a spy. Did my father send you? I've assured him I'm fine." The sentence was punctuated by Arthur flushing an unhealthy blotchy red and swaying a little on his feet. His eyelashes fluttered momentarily as he shifted unsteadily.</p><p>"Arthur." Merlin moved to grab him but Arthur whipped his hand away, a look of shocked disapproval on his face. Arthur's hand brushed the rosemary Merlin was holding.</p><p>His expression cleared, clarity shone jubilant. He stared at Merlin in wonder.</p><p>"Merlin." He said, lips parted, before fainting.</p><p> </p><p>It was many decades before they met again, Merlin had spent most of the time in between fretting over sending Arthur to an early grave and the possibility that that was the last time he'd see Arthur. Surely that couldn't be Arthur's story? A second chance at glory cut short by a sweating sickness. If Merlin had been sooner could be have saved him? If he hadn't shocked Arthur, would Arthur have recovered? The thoughts had weighed heavily on him.</p><p>It was a chance meeting supposedly, was anything ever chance when destiny was involved. Merlin was attending a garden party in London and that's where they met.</p><p>This time it was Arthur who had been standing by flowers, a bed of white lilies, when Merlin approached. Merlin could scarcely breathe, worried Arthur was an illusion about to slip away.</p><p>Arthur turned to him and beamed. "Merlin."</p><p>Merlin had been close to tears, emotions welling in him.</p><p>"You're here." Merlin said dumbly.</p><p>"I can see that you're as observant as ever." Arthur commented.</p><p>Merlin gave a watery grin.</p><p>Arthur asked Merlin if he wanted tea, Merlin accepted. Merlin had many questions, one in particular had been bugging him but Merlin was hesitant to bring it up. When he did, Arthur's face remained blank. Arthur didn't remember anything of their previous meeting, he didn't remember the rosemary or his sudden death. Merlin was thankful for that.</p><p>Merlin remained in London. Arthur lasted 3 years. He had a rapid decline. The tickling cough he'd developed furthered to bloody handkerchiefs and laboured breathing. He smiled through the pain and told Merlin not to worry but Merlin knew better. He'd seen the symptoms in the family that now lay in a shallow grave in the large town cemetery.</p><p>Merlin was to be seperated from Arthur yet again. Arthur parted on a chilly night, a bouquet of white lilies were wilting by his bed side. Christmas was waiting in the wings. Merlin did not celebrate it that year.</p><p> </p><p>Time crawled sluggishly past. Merlin hadn't consciously thought to keep count but none the less he had, he watched it tick by. Slow minutes and slower years. It was during this time that Merlin discovered the trick of the flowers, the marker he would use to measure Arthur's return.</p><p>The Great War came, obliterating millions and leaving red poppies in it's wake. Merlin had fought in the trenches. He toiled through mud, blood, grief, mice, lice and the many other horrors that war brought. Merlin had lived through many wars and none were as atrocious or fatal as this one.</p><p>He had often wondered where Arthur was because surely Arthur would have been brought back. Nothing could be worse than this war. Merlin prayed that humanity was wiser and more fortunate than to endure through something worse.</p><p>He was proved wrong a short 20 years later. World war two arrived with a vengeance, spitting metal and shrapnel.</p><p>Merlin found Arthur in 1947. His name was engraved in a war memorial. Arthur Pendragon, etched in stone.</p><p>They did not have a flower that year. Merlin refused to count the poppies laid down by other mourning strangers as their flower. If his symbol of hope became the poppy Merlin feared he'd never have the courage to go outside in spring time. He worried it meant Arthur would never return. Was it possible to have a higher calling after participating in a world war? Merlin felt certain he'd never see Arthur again.</p><p>Merlin's grief deepened and no flowers grew.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>2020</em>
</p><p>This time they were reunited at the lake.</p><p>"I don't know what the flower of this century will be." Merlin pondered as they ambled in the countryside.</p><p>"I suppose it should be Ambrosia." Arthur said.</p><p>Merlin looked over at Arthur.</p><p>"Ambrosia?" He smiled. "Yeah. I think that would be a good one."</p><p>Their eyes glanced over one anothers. Arthur bumped his shoulder against Merlin's as they walked, Merlin bumped back before Arthur shoved him lightly and ran ahead, grinning all the while.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I didn't neccesarily pick the flower for the meaning but in case anyone was curious: </p><p>Daisies - innocence and purity and new beginnings.</p><p>Rosemary - Remembrance  </p><p>White Lily - Chastity, virtue, modesty, and sweetness.</p><p>Poppies - Sleep, peace, and death</p><p>Ambrosia - Requited love, mutual love. (It can be platonic)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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